Tomorrow is Halloween! Are you ready? Like almost everything else in 2020, this Halloween will be markedly different from those of years past. Health experts recommend skipping trick-or-treating so that everyone can practice social distancing.
This means costume parties and gatherings are off the table too. So what can you do to get in the spooky spirit? We’ve gathered the best ideas to celebrate Halloween while staying safe. Read on!
Candy Quest – Hunt for the treats
Take a tip from Easter and set up a candy hunt. Hide them in your home and yard. Get creative and place Halloween-themed stickers on the candy or wrap them in little treat bags.
When the scene is set, unleash your kids and let the hunt begin. Compete to see who finds the most and prepare a special gift for the winner. This can be something as simple as letting them choose which spooky movie to watch or letting them blow out the candles on the Halloween cake. (Yes, Halloween cakes exist.)
With a few well-hidden treats, your candy quest will definitely delight.
Trick-or-treat – Pandemic Edition
If you have a small group of close friends and family with whom you’ve committed to stick to shared social distancing and hygiene standards—this means that all of you strictly follow the CDC’s guidelines (wear a mask, keep at least 6 feet apart, regularly wash your hands) on a daily basis—you may consider teaming up to create a “safe route” for your kids.
Your trusted group’s homes will make up your safe route, and while it may be short it gives your family the opportunity to enjoy a bit of Halloween fun.
Be sure you wear face coverings and bring along hand sanitizer when you go. If you’re hosting a stop on the route, it’s a good idea to prepare small baggies of candy and place them on a table with space in between for the kiddos to grab individually.
Of course, all of this ought to take place outside to be extra cautious. And since the kids are hitting up fewer houses, I say be extra generous with the treats! Full size bars, anyone?
When you get home after trick-or-treating, you may want to wipe down all of the candies and packaging with disinfecting wipes or alcohol. Whatever you decide, handwashing is a must!
Have your kids wash them when you get home. Wash them again after unwrapping but before eating the candy.
Virtual Costume Party
Perhaps the biggest bummer of cancelling Halloween is missing out on making or choosing the best costume to ever costume. Thankfully, the Internet, once again, has come to the rescue. Many outlets, such as Disney’s D23 and Live with Kelly and Ryan, went virtual with their own Halloween contests.
Why not try it out for yourself? With the now ubiquitous Zoom, your kids and their best friends can connect online and share their costumes. Turn it up a notch and help your kids come up with short Halloween skits they can perform for one another.
*D23 is also hosting a Halloween Hullabaloo Sweepstakes—enter for a chance to win a $250 Her Universe gift card which you can use for all kinds of fandom threads for both you and the kids.
Carve it up
One thing we don’t have to give up this year? Carving the raddest of Jack-o-lanterns! Grab a pumpkin (or two or three) and set up a craft station in your home.
Create your own design or download one of the many free printables available online. For especially young children, skip the knives and use Sharpies and colored markers instead.
*Pro tip: When you’re done emptying out the gooey pumpkin guts, don’t throw them away. They make a delicious treat when roasted.
Check out this highly rate but easy Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds recipe or go simple with this traditional Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
Halloween’s going to be different this year. That’s just a fact. But with a little creativity, you can still make it a scary fun holiday for you and your family. Just remember: Stay spooky and stay safe!
